Riding with Stuart: Reminiscences of an Aide-De-Camp

Theodore Stanford Garnett, Robert J. Trout

As Trout describes this recently discovered account of Jeb Stuart's activities during the last year of his life, “The time covered by the memoir extends from October 1863 to June 1864, a period which includes the winter encampment at Orange Courthouse (very little has been written of this time of Stuart's career), the opening of Grant's offensive in May 1864, Stuart's death at Yellow Tavern and Garnett's subsequent assignment as aide-de-camp to Brigadier General William Henry Fitzhugh ‘Rooney’ Lee. The memoir contains the most detailed account of one of Stuart’s encampments I have ever read (down to the sawdust walkways between the tents). Garnett’s writing style is very readable and most entertaining.”

This is a significant addition not only to the literature of Jeb Stuart, but also to our understanding of the last years of the Civil War in the Richmond area.